Best foot forward: make the most of what remains of summer with some bespoke pool slides

If you’ve been on Instagram recently the chances are you will have spotted a pair of pool slides.

Perhaps against a Formentera beach backdrop, possibly by the pool at Shoreditch House, probably on the feet of a fashion editor. The status symbol of the summer, pool slides are the subject of countless view-from-above hashtags and Insta-brags of yet another fabulously sunny destination.

But we’re not talking about any old rubber slip-ons you can snap up for 20 quid in your local JD Sports. It would, of course, take more than that to get the capital’s style elite furiously snapping shoefies.

Sliders

Sliders

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Slogan sliders from Adidas Originals

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Slogan slides

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Hunter sliders

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Instagram from MSGM

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Instagram from En Brogue

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Slogan sliders from Adidas Originals

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Slogan sliders from Adidas Originals

Among Adidas’s bespoke options is the opportunity to add up to eight embroidered letters across the strap of your chosen slide. Customers can also swap the standard polyurethane footbed for butter-soft suede and choose between luxury leathers such as pony, snake and ostrich.

The fact that you wouldn’t go anywhere near the water’s edge in these luxury pool slides — suede and salt water don’t mix — has done little to deter the capital’s most dedicated clothes horses, who have taken a break from posting sunset scenes and “hotdog leg” shots for long enough to announce that they have moved on from the classic three-stripe.

Adidas may be the first to offer slides with bespoke benefits, but they’re not the only brand to up the ante this summer.

Classic welly boot brand turned major London Fashion Week player Hunter Original recently launched a new version of its cult logo pool slides. Coming soon to a Instagram feed near you in hues of bubblegum pink and sky blue, Hunter’s solid pastel slide comes complete with a cushioned footbed and — as those actually hoping to wear their slides around the pool will be pleased to note — these have their waterproof credentials firmly intact (who would expect anything less from a Scottish rain boot brand)?

Tongue-in-cheek Italian label MSGM has also reimagined the traditional slide in a host of highly Instagrammable guises including bold graphic print styles, slides littered with brightly coloured feathers and a pair trimmed in plastic floral appliqué.

The conclusion? If your pool slides aren’t posh, you might want to stay at home this summer.